She shook herself free, giving him an anguished look. ‘Thanks again for dropping me home.’ She turned, smiling, to Sophie. She felt Oliver staring at her, urging her to look at him, but she didn’t let herself. She knew she couldn’t trust herself around him.

So, as the car had driven away from the kerb, Bonnie had gotten out her phone and sent a text to Carla. Okay, pick me up at 6 am. I’ll audition for The One.

Chapter 21

21

Penelope squeezes some tester moisturiser onto her hand as she waits at the pharmacy. The warm smell of caramel quickly reaches her nose. It reminds her of a candle that had been in her old bedroom, the one she left. She wonders if he’d kept it or thrown it out. She feels her teeth sink into her lips a little bit, forcing the memories away. She concentrates on the cream, rubbing it in, barely recognising her hands. She turns them over, searching for the youthful ones she remembers.

‘I said no,’ a drained voice sighs. A child screams in protest. ‘Please, Molly, I’m too tired today.’

Penelope looks up and sees Lara pushing a pram with Molly trailing behind, clearly upset about something.

This town isn’t big enough. She thought a small place would be ideal, but she would have been better off moving to another city. She could have attempted to be an invisible face among the crowd. It seems here she can barely leave the house without running into Lara.

Penelope’s natural instinct is to turn away and pretend she hasn’t seen her, but the guilt wins over today. ‘Lara, hi,’ she calls, surprising herself by her cheery tone.

Even Lara looks a bit taken aback by Penelope’s friendliness. ‘Penelope, how are you?’

‘Good, how about you?’

Lara’s face quickly reveals she’s far from good. ‘Harry’s got a cold and I think some teeth are coming through. I don’t think he slept at all last night. I’m supposed to be at work today, but I can’t send him to day care like this. My mum used to come babysit for me on days that I’d get stuck, but I had no choice today …’ She shakes her head, clearly feeling the loss of her mum today on top of everything else.

‘Can I have this, Mummy?’ Molly holds up a ballerina jewellery box she’s found on one of the shelves. ‘Mummy?’

‘Not today, honey. But maybe we could get it for your birthday?’ Lara’s voice is light and sugary, clearly hoping Molly will be appeased by this suggestion.

But Molly shrieks, tears immediately spilling onto her cheeks. ‘I want it now.’

Penelope sees Lara grimace, exhaustion tugging at her face. ‘Come on, Molly. I just need to grab some Panadol and we’ll go to the park for a bit.’

‘Penelope Baker?’